From Chaos to Continuity: The Evolution of Louisiana's Judicial System, 1712--1862

Tracing the rise of Louisiana's system from its earliest colonial origins to its closure during Federal occupation in 1862, Fernandez describes the introduction of common law after American takeover of the colony; the chaotic combination of French, Spanish, and Anglo legal traditions; the evolution of that jurisdiction; the role of the courts-especially the state supreme court-in maintaining the mixture; and the judge's proper function in administering justice. According to Fernandez, the challenge of integrating two very different systems of law was not unique to Louisiana. Indeed, most antebellum southern states had legal systems that incorporated important traditional aspects of their colonial legal orders to varying degrees.
From Chaos to Continuity liberates Louisiana's legal history from the quirky restraints of the past and allows scholars and students alike to see the state as an integral part of American legal history.